


Heiro, defiance

by MadClairvoyant



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Child Abuse, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 16:18:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadClairvoyant/pseuds/MadClairvoyant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how far would she go? And why?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heiro, defiance

The belt hit her, cutting deeply into her flesh.

“Charmed to meet you, my lady. If I may inquire your name?”  
Hesitating, she wondered if it were worth angering her sister. The secrets in his eyes convinced her.  
“Heiro, Your Majesty.” Biting her lip, she blurted. “Heiro.”

One. Two. Three. She wondered when her father would tire.

She wasn’t particularly graceful, or beautiful, or wielded any political clout. She wondered how she caught his eye, amongst throngs of girls. Especially her charming and pretty sister, who glared at her in fury. As they glided across the dance floor, she thought that she was very lucky indeed.

“Insolent girl! I warned you, no more dancing with the king!”

There was a forbidden excitement when he touched her hand to draw her out to the floor, with his light footsteps, barely touching the floor. It gave her an illicit thrill as they danced right under the nose of her infuriating father and sister.

“Your sister is the shining star. You are not fit wipe the dirt from her shoes, let alone try to eclipse her!”

“Your Majesty, would you like to dance?” Her sister had a breathy quality in her voice that she never quite achieved.  
“I’m afraid I promised your sister already. Perhaps the next?” The young king declined, and she couldn’t hide the smile spreading across her face at the nicely worded rejection.

“I will say this one last time. You are never to touch him again! Your sister is to be the mistress, not you!”

As they moved with the music, she saw that the king was distracted today. His eyes kept drifting from one corner of the room to the other, as if restless. As his gaze landed on the lovely queen, something flashed in his eyes before it was gone, as quickly as it came.  
A bitter laugh threatened to escape her throat. Her sister would never be his mistress, even if she didn’t know yet. And Heiro knew she would do anything to keep her sister far, far away.

The buckle caught the delicate flesh of her back, dragging a bloody stripe across, and she struggled to keep the hiss of pain in her mouth.

Yet as they glided against the dance floor, she couldn’t help but think that for a moment, they were like one of the star-crossed lovers in the plays she loved so much.

She would defy anyone, because they couldn’t tell her what to do, not even her father and her sister, or the consistent beatings. It was for the good of the king.  
(Or so she told herself.)


End file.
